A Trip to the COVID Capital of the World

08/07/2022 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary COVID-19, freedumb, masks, USA

Status: 2.7.22 (Mayo Clinic) It's deliciously ironic that I had to submit a negative COVID test result as a precondition for traveling to the country that is #1 in the number of coronavirus infections and deaths. I religiously wore my fashionable black mask on flights, a requirement on Japan Airlines but not American Airlines, in … Continue reading A Trip to the COVID Capital of the World

“We Are Not Okay”

07/07/2022 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary aiden mccarthy, domestic terrorism, gun violence, highland park shooting, USA

I felt compelled to share this LinkedIn post about the recent mass murder in Illinois. It was written by Erin Gallagher, whose information is below, about Aiden McCarthy, the toddler whose parents, Irina and Kevin McCarthy, were killed in an act of domestic terrorism on July 4th in Highland Park. Erin Gallagher• 2ndFast Company's World's … Continue reading “We Are Not Okay”

They Hate US ‘Cause They Ain’t US!

07/07/2022 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary they hate us cause they ain't us, us nationalism, USA

For sale on Amazon During a recent trip to Boston, I saw this delusional expression screaming at me in large, red, white, and blue letters from the side of a passing cement truck. For the uninitiated, it’s a US cultural reference that has been transformed into a bellicose nationalistic war cry replete with t-shirts sold … Continue reading They Hate US ‘Cause They Ain’t US!

The Legion of Working Poor in the US

06/07/2022 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary cancer, heart disease, life expectancy, obesity, type 2 diabetes, USA

During a recent trip to my home state of Delaware, I noticed a sign outside a McDonald’s that was recruiting workers for up to $15 an hour. That's over twice as much as the US federal minimum wage, which stands at a paltry $7.25 per hour. While that is akin to modern-day slavery, the maximum … Continue reading The Legion of Working Poor in the US

Guns are US(A) Revisited

04/07/202218/02/2023 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary 2nd amendment, gun control, gun violence, mass shootings, USA

As a result of the recent mass shootings, I was on high alert in public places during a recent visit to the US. Some had warnings and the metal detectors to back them up, while others just had signs, as if mere words would deter gun owners from exercising their 2nd Amendment right to pack … Continue reading Guns are US(A) Revisited

How Wealth Reduces Compassion

14/03/2022 Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary compassion, nouveau riche, philanthropy, USA, viet nam, vietnam, wealth

Source: The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley I recently stumbled upon this 2012 Scientific American article that makes the point, using the results of various studies, that people's empathy for others is generally linked to their economic status, hence the subtitle, As riches grow, empathy for others seems to decline. … Continue reading How Wealth Reduces Compassion

From New England to Vietnam: Settler Colonialism in Cross-Cultural Perspective

16/12/202127/11/2024 Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary 1610, 1620, British Colonial America, invasion, jamestown, Massachusetts Bay Colony, mayflower, occupation, Plymouth, settler-colonizers, USA, viet nam, vietnam, war

I've been working on a long-form essay that combines my interest in history and genealogy. Since so many of my ancestors arrived in what became British Colonial America and later the USA, starting in 1610 and 1620, the historical is intensely personal for me. I write as a direct and collateral descendant of Jamestown settlers … Continue reading From New England to Vietnam: Settler Colonialism in Cross-Cultural Perspective

Vietnamese Student Enrollment in the US Drops by 9% in 2020/21

17/11/202118/11/2021 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Reports COVID-19, iie, international students, open doors, trump administration, USA, viet nam, vietnam

The US experienced a dramatic but not unexpected decline of 15% in its 2020/21 international student population bringing the total to under 1 million. The primary reason cited is the COVID-19 pandemic. Another important reason is the Trump administration. IIE probably didn't introduce this rather large (orange) elephant in the room because Open Doors (OD) … Continue reading Vietnamese Student Enrollment in the US Drops by 9% in 2020/21

Freedom of speech according to the gospel of Koch

19/07/202122/07/2021 Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary conservative, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, freedom of speech, koch foundation, labels, liberal, libertarian, RealClearEducation, University of Pennsylvania, USA

Image: iStock This is my latest essay for University World News (UWN). I wrote it in response to a 3 July op-ed piece by Jonathan Zimmerman, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. UWN usually doesn't publish essays this long; I'm pleased they made an exception. As always, I welcome your comments either here or … Continue reading Freedom of speech according to the gospel of Koch

Global citizenship is about more than intercultural skills

05/07/2021 Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary global citizenship, intercultural incompetence, nationalism, USA

Here's my latest essay for University World News. It's a long-awaited follow-up to a 2016 article about US nationalism. Below is the unedited version. Shalom (שלום), MAA Intercultural Competence and Global Citizenship: Expanding the Debate The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion. -Thomas Paine The international … Continue reading Global citizenship is about more than intercultural skills

An International Educator in Vietnam

Information, Insights & (Frequently) Intrigue

USA